Influence of Location & Context on Development (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)
Revision Note
Written by: Jacque Cartwright
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Location & Position of India
Officially known as the Republic of India, it is the world's seventh-largest country by area
Found on the continent of Asia, in the northern hemisphere, India is the most populous country in the world, with 1.43 billion people (2023)
Its neighbours are Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan
India has a long coastline that extends into the Indian Ocean along the south coast, the Arabian Sea on its west coast and the Bay of Bengal along its east coast
India also has two island groups:
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal
Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea
Location and development
India is able to access the world via land, sea and air
India aims to become a major transport hub like Singapore
China and India are major growing economies
Leading to competition for trade between the two countries
India has access to large deposits of natural resources that they can trade and use, such as:
Fossil and nuclear fuels
Diamonds, gold, silver, nickel and zinc
Iron, manganese, and lithium ore reserves
Mica, limestone, marble and bauxite reserves
The island groups provide defence security and can also be used as ports for trade
They provide a large region of Exclusve Economic Zone, along with natural resources to boost the economy
They might also be developed as a tourist destination, providing job opportunities
Their position at sea means they can be used for naval and military bases, along with surveillance and communications during wars or crises
Context of India
Social context
Regional
The country and its people are divided into 28 states and 8 union territories
Rajasthan, western India, is the largest, and Goa, on the southwestern coast, is the smallest state
The population is divided into social ranks called 'castes', which are assigned at birth
Global
20 million Indian diasporas are in 100 countries
This globally spread population helps India's economy by sending remittances back home to their families
Political context
Regional
It is the largest country of the Indian subcontinent
Most of the population lives in six states
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal
Global
Member of global organisations, including the UN and World Trade Organisation
It is the seventh-largest country in the world
The most populated country in the world
Cultural context
Regional
Approximately, 80% of the population is Hindu
Other religions include Sikhism and Islam
Global
India has the second-largest film industry, Bollywood, making over 1600 films a year and viewed by approx. 2.7 billion people
Globally, it has the third-largest Muslim population
Environmental context
India experiences two monsoon seasons
The summer south-west monsoon provides 75% of India's annual rainfall and lasts from June to September
The winter north-east monsoon occurs during the cooler months of October to December and delivers around 11% of India's rainfall
Uneven Development in India
Development is uneven across India, varying between core states and its periphery
Since 1991, India has experienced rapid economic development with the expansion of the service sector
This has led to rural-urban migration and urbanised core regions such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra having 5 times more GDP than rural periphery areas such as Uttar Pradesh and Assam
Uttar Pradesh, with over 200 million people, is mostly rural, which means it has much lower development indicators than states that are mostly urban and industrial, such as Kerala
This has led to a widening of social and economic disparities
Per capita GDP per state of India, 2023
From the map above, India has 3 states that can be considered as core regions
These are:
Sikkim is in the north-east, bordering Nepal and Bhutan
Surprisingly, despite its mountainous terrain, Sikkim has a very successful organic agricultural economy
In recent years, the state has become an industrial hub of pharmaceuticals, ecotourism and food processing
Delhi is India's national capital territory and dominated by the service industry
The region has always been a trading and commercial centre in northern India
Since the 1990s, New Delhi has become the centre of international corporate and financial services
Most work is in trade, finance, public administration, and professional services
Goa is on the south-west coast
Investment in industries has created exports and brought jobs and wealth to the region
Its position on the coast allows for global trade into and out of the country
It is also a popular tourist destination with great beaches and rich culture
However, there is increased pressure on services, with priority given to tourists and businesses
Bihar is a peripheral region where people still rely on agriculture
The state is landlocked and has limited connectivity with the rest of the country, and development remains slow
Meaning there are few incentives for investment in infrastructure and industry
There is a lack of clean water and rainfall is unreliable, making life difficult
It is difficult to provide services to areas that are spread out (peripheral) and hard to reach, compared to core regions
Peripheral areas still rely on agriculture for most of their income
But as crop yields and prices are variable, incomes are low which deters economic investment into the area
Core regions have education, health, and job sites nearby
Jobs in core regions tend to pay more than what peripheral workers can earn
Peripheral areas tend to have more traditional values than core regions, meaning people may not accept change even if development is improved
The caste system may be stronger in peripheral areas
Low-caste people still have issues getting secure or good jobs
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When writing about regional differences in development, refer to the core - periphery concept and support your answer with examples. For instance, you could write that Goa has flatter land to build on, making it easier to develop than Bihar, which is mountainous. Therefore, it is easier to attract investment to Goa, making it a core region of development.
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